One Health is the collaborative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally to attain sustainable optimal health for the ecosystem*. It is a cultural and behavioral concept with socioeconomic elements and impact.

*a biological community of living organisms (humans, animals, plants, and microbes) and their physical environment interacting as a system

Advancing One Health in South Africa

South Africa abounds in wildlife and livestock, providing an
ideal One Health platform for collaborations in transboundary
infectious and parasitic diseases. To explore research and
educational opportunities for Texas A&M University, Dr. Rosina
"Tammi" Krecek, interim assistant dean of One Health and visiting
professor in Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB) and Dr. Angela Arenas,
assistant professor in VTPB, travelled to South Africa in November
2015.

"South Africa is a rich platform for exploring the One Health
wildlife-livestock-human interface to address societal needs,"
Krecek commented. "This wide biodiversity and broad experience of
experts in this field continue to offer an ideal foundation for
collaborative opportunities between Texas A&M and the
University of Pretoria in South Africa."

Krecek and Arenas met with South African academic, government,
and industry partners to advance Texas A&M's current and
developing global projects. At the University of Pretoria, they met
with colleagues and students in veterinary and health sciences and
presented One Health seminars. This included meeting with Dean
Darrell Abernethy, dean of the veterinary school (Faculty of
Veterinary Science at Onderstepoort) and with colleagues from that
institution. This was followed by meetings at the Faculty of Health
Sciences, at the University of Pretoria. At Health Sciences, Dr.
Marietjie Venter, professor of zoonotic viral diseases and director
of the One Health Program for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention in Pretoria, South Africa, and Dr. Wanda Markotter,
associate professor, Viral Zoonoses Group, Faculty of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences hosted the Texas A&M visitors. Krecek and
Arenas jointly presented seminars titled "One Health: The Bridge to
New Opportunities" to next-generation One Health scientists.

Arenas stated, "These collaborations can lead to exchange
programs for graduate students and residents to gain experience
about wildlife and livestock infectious and parasitic
diseases."

Current and developing global projects build on the strengths of
Texas A&M and the University of Pretoria as well as
collaborations to develop training and research capacities in
infectious and parasitic endemic and transboundary livestock
agents.